1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a composition for curing autoimmune diseases, and, more particularly, to a composition for curing autoimmune diseases possessing superior capability of removing immunocomplexes and exhibiting the least side effects.
2. Description of the Background Art
Researches directed to immunology have achieved a great advance in recent years. Causes and mechanisms of a number of diseases which have been heretofore veiled became elucidated in line with the advance in immunology. Immunological approaches, e.g. immunostimulant, immunosuppressant, etc., are being adopted for curing many of these diseases. For example, in the research of the cancer chemotherapy, certain polysaccharides derived from Basidiomycetesin were found to possess carcinostatic activity and some of them have been placed in actual use. Mechanisms of their carcinostatic activities have also been studied on some polysaccharides, mainly on lentinane derived form shiitake mushroom. Such studies are clarifying their carcinostatic activities through the immunological system.
Along with the studies on polysaccharides as carcinostatic agents, the studies directed to their immunocomplex removal capabilities are undertaken. Immunocomplexes are produced as a result of biological immunoresponse and usually discharged from the reticuloendothelial system via complements or macrophages. In the event that immunocomplexes cannot be discharged for some reason, they accumulate in many organs and cause disorders in cells due to the allergy type III reaction. Glomerular nephritis, articular rhumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus, vascular diseases, and the like are the diseases caused by such disorders. They are intractable and termed autoimmune diseases. No established therapy nor medicament for curing these diseases exist at the present time.
Currently available medicaments administered clinics in an effort to cure autoimmune diseases lack any sufficient therapeutic effects. For example, steroids are used for chronic glomerular nephritis. They do not lead to complete cure of the disease and do not necessarily bring about good results because of their side effects. Also, several immunostimulants are used for the therapy of chronic articular rhumatism, but are also not always satisfactory because of side effects.
In view of this situation, the present inventors have conducted extensive studies in order to develop medicaments which are truly effective to autoimmune diseases without side effects, and found that specific acid heteropolysaccharides possessed remarkable immunocomplex removing activity. The finding has led to the completion of the present invention.